Its the season for cranberries. Its one of the main things that I look forward to as thanksgiving approaches and it is also something I buy only during thanksgiving and never before. In any form. No cranberry juice all around the year for me. This is the only time of the year that it seems right. Though, I experimented with cranberries (dried ones in cranberry muffin, juice in a cranberry martini etc), I never went Indian with them. Until this year for thanksgiving, I made some cranberry chutney and I could’nt resist putting in some of this and some of that and a whole lot of jaggery to make it family friendly. I like the tartness but my husband is not so much a fan. I mean, it is a chutney , you know!. The chutney is really good , especially with some hot parathas.
Heat , in a medium size sauce pot
1 tsp of ghee
Add,
1/4 tsp Black mustard seeds
When that sputters add,
2 Cloves
5 Green chillies (slit length-wise or chopped finely)
4-5 Kadipatta (Curry Leaves)
a pinch hing (Asafoetida)
2 Apples , chopped into cubes size of cranberries
1 12 oz bag of Fresh cranberries
Salt to Taste
Mix everything together and cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes on medium heat. The cranberries pop, the apples melt and results in a wonderful dark pink concoction. If you taste it now, you will get, other than a burnt tongue, a really really tart taste. Its time to sweeten things up.
Add
1 cups of Jaggery
1/4 cup Orange juice
Cook, covered on medium heat till the jaggery melts and remove from flame. Add
1 tsp Red Chilli powder
to finish off a wonderful-tart-yet-sweet-and-with-a-hint-of-heat chutney. This was a part of my neither-here-nor-there-Thanksgiving dinner and we have enough leftovers to have with parathas. My son loves them in his PB & J Sandwich. I get the feeling that his palate is becoming neither-here-nor-there, too. But, of course, I would prefer it to be called “Well-Rounded” Palate!
This is my contribution to Jihva-Jaggery hosted by Kay of Towards a Better Tomorrow and also
to Festive Fair hosted by Anna of Morsel’s and Musings
Past, Present and Me 
Hi Vee, I must admit I’m not a huge fan of cranberries — like you I use them only at this time of year. This recipe though, with the mustard and curry leaves and chiles, it sounds fabulous. I will have to give it a try š
Amazing recipee of a chutney vee….. thanks for sharing š
Hi Vee,
Me also. I cook with cranberries only during this season. I don’t drink cranberry juice or canned goods.
Cranberries with apples and green chillies. That’s one combination I have never tried. Interesting recipe for Jihva jaggery.
Very nice entry for JFI,Vee!
I like the way you list the ingredients and explain it:))